Separable attachment device



R. B. BENJAMIN.`

SEPARABLATTACHMENT DEVICEI APPLICATION FILED APR. I, I9I5.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Ill g i@ NIA. g2

H4. B'. BENJAMIN.

SEPARABLE ATTACHMENT DEVICE.

lAPPLICATION FILED APR. l. 1915.

Patentedsept, 14,1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED4 STATES PATENT ortica. y

REUBEN IB. BENJAMIN, 'OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR l'lO BENJAMIN ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION F ILLI- NOIS.

vSEPARAIBLIE'. ATTACHMENT DEVICE.

Application filed April 1,

To au whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, REUBEN B. BEN- JAMIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Separable Attachment Devices, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specilication.

My invention relates to a separable attachment device, and more` speciically to plugs comprising an insertible portion carrying center and shell contacts and a detachable or cap portion carrying binding terminals and contacts for engagement with the contacts of the insertible portion.

Among the objects of my invention is to provide an improved device of this character which shall be simple in construction, efiicient in use and in which the cap or terminal carrying portion can be easily separated from the insertible portion by other than the straight line movement.

Further objects of my invention will appear from the detailed description to follow taken in connection with the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which I have illustrated two embodiments of my inventionr Figure l is an axial section of a separable plug embodying myrinvention showing the manner in which the contacts of the terminal carrying portion engage the contacts of the insertible portion, and showingV the manner in which the contacts are held in place on the insertible portion;

Fig. 2 is a section substantially on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1 showing the manner in which the securing means for the contacts of the insertible portion are riveted onto the insertible portion;

Fig. 3 is a section substantially on th line 3-3 of Fig. 1 showing the manner in which the contacts engage;

Fig. 4 `is a section Asubstantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. l showing the manner in which the contact on the insertible portion is held in place and showing the enlarged upper end of the contact carried by the cap;

ig. 5 isa plan View of a modied form of my device showing the manner in which Specification of Letters Patent. Patll-ted Sept. I4, 1920.

1915. Serial N0. 18,455.

the shell and center contacts are supported on the insulating base;

Fig. 6 is a section along the line 6 6 of I' Fig. 5 showing the manner in which the contacts are held in place on the insulating base, and showing the cap or terminal carrying member partially separated from the insertible portion; and l Fig. 7 is a plan view of the cap showing the manner in which the binding plates are secured thereon.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, and first to the modiication of Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, the plug of this modification comprises an insulating base 1() for supporting the shell contact 11 and the spring contacts 12, a second insulating member or button 13 supporting the vcenter contact 15 and a binding terminal carrying portion or cap 16 to which are secured the contacts 17 which engage the contacts 12 of the insertible portion. The contact shell 11 has an inwardly extending flange 18 held in place between the portion 10 and button 13. A portion of this flange 18 extends farther inwardly than the rest, as shown at 19, and is provided with an opening 20 through which extends a reduced portion 21 of a securing member 22. The reduced portion 21 has two prongs which are bent over above the inwardly extending portion 19 of the Bange, as shown at 23, to hold the retaining member 22 in position, and also to hold the contact shell 11 in place. The contacts 12 are secured to the member 22 in any suitable manner as by rivets 24. The contacts 12 are located in a recess 25 in the insulating portion or base 10 from which recess 25 an opening 26 .leads through which the reduced portion 21 of the retaining member extends. The retaining member 22 has a shoulder27 which engages an abutment 28 formed at the? ii'p."

per end ofthe recess 25 to properly position the retaining member 22 and contacts 12.y

The sides of the recess 25 are provided with longitudinally extending grooves 29, the lower ends of which provide clearance for the lugs atI the tips of the contacts 12,

the lugs 30 being provided to guide the contacts 17 in between the contacts 12 and to prevent the contacts 17 from entering between one of the contacts 12 and the side grooves 29 provide clearance for the rivets 24. They contacts 12 are provided with struck up projections 31 whereby depressions are formed for engagement with a corresponding projection 32 on the upper ends of the vcontacts 17. The center contact 1,5 has a conical portion 33 seated in a countersunk depressionn34 in the button 13. The center contact 15 is held in place on the `buttonby means of the head 35 of the screw 36 which extends through an opening' 37 in the button 13 and into a threaded opening 38 in the conducting plate 39 which lies between the button 13 and base 10. The conducting plate 39 has an opening 40 therethrough through which extends the reduced portion 21 ofthe retaining member 22, the reduced portion 21 having prongs riveted .over above the conducting plate 39, as shown at 23. The button 13 has a recess 41 in its lower face to provide clearance for these prongs 23. The base 10 has a recess 42 in its upper face to accommodate the conducting plate 39. The lower end of the recess 25 flares outwardly, as shown at 43 (Fig. 4) to permit easy separation of the plug parts by other than a straight line movement. The insulating base is provided adjacent its vlower end with an annular flange .44 having a lower shoulder 45 for engagement with the upstanding annular liange 46 on the cap 16. The plu 10 below the flange 44 is provided with a rusto-conieal portion 4 7 for` centering the cap 16. The cap 16 has a recess 48 in its upper face to accommodate the binding plates 49 which are secured to the cap 16 by means f of screws 50. lBinding screws 51'are secured to the binding plates 49 to which are secured the conductors leading to any suitable translating device which extend outwardly through the central opening 52 in the cap.

In assembling the plug vof .this modification the contacts 12 riveted to the retaining members 22 are dropped in place in the recesses25, the reduced portions V21 extending through the opening 26. The shell contact 411 is'then slipped over the base 10, the reduced portion 21 entering through the openingY 20 in the portion 19 of the flange. The

conducting plate 29 is'then placed in the recess 42, the reduced portion 21 extending through the opening 40 inthe plate. The

prongs 23 lare then riveteddown to hold all 55 of the contacts secured in place.-

It will be noted that in this kconstruction c, the contacts 12 are Ydefinitely located in yplace so that the distance 'of their ends 30 from the entrance-to the recesses 25 willv be a definite distance. This is due to the fact that in molding the base 10 the parts of the mold whichV .form the lowery face of the base 10 and/.the upper shoulder 28 of the recess 25 are fixed with respect to eachother so l' that the distance betweenthe shoulder 28 and the lower face of the base 10 is definite.- The circuit through the plug of this modificatipn; is as follows: from the center contact 15 through the screw 36, conducting plate 39, retaining member 22, contacts 12 and 17, through the circuit of the translating device tothe contacts 17 through the other contacts 12 and the retaining member 22 to the threaded shell contact 11.

To permit of easy separation of the plug by other than a straight line movement it is desirable that the distance to which the contacts 17 extend into the recesses 25 would be as small as possible.

To this end the upper ends of the contacts 17 are widened out as shown at 53 (Fig. 4) and the contacts 12 are made to engage on both sides of the contacts 17 so as to secure as much contact surface as possible between the contacts 12 land 17 .for a given length of contact. In order to facilitate Ythe separation of the two parts of the plug by other than the straight line movement provision is made whereby the fulcrum between the two parts will be located above the lower face of the base 10, the flange 44 form` g the fulcrum about which the cap 16 movlr when it is separated from the base, the upstanding ange 46 engaging the flange 44 as the parts are separated (see-Fig. 6).

It will be noted that the plane of the shoulder 45 passes through the tipsof the contacts 12 and 17 when the latter are in `engaging position, as shown in Fig. 1, so

cap 16, contacts 17 and 12 and the retaining c members 21 are substantially 'the same as the'modification of Figs. 1 to 4. The insulating base 61 supports a threaded shell Contact 62 which has inwardly extending flange portions 63 and 64 which engage the lll flat sides of an upright projection 65 to prevent rotationof the shell 62 with respect to the base 61. The flange portion 63 has an opening 66`therein through which extends the reduced portion 21 of the retaining member 22, the prongs 23 beingriveted'over above the flange -63 to hold the retainingv member 22 in place and to hold the shell 62 in place on the base 61. The v'center contact 67 comprises a Vhorizontal portion 68 for engagement with the center contact'of the receptacle, a vertical portion 69 engaging one of the flat sides of the upright projection 65 and a horizontal portion 70 hav- L ying an opening 71 therethrough.. through which the portion 21 of the retaining mem-l ber 22 `extends to hold the retaining member 22 in placeand also.l to holdfthe center 'contact 67 and the shell. Contact 62 in place 21 extends, the Walls of the opening73 `be ing spaced from the reducedlportionf 21 to prevent electrical Contact; this -Inodification the cap 16 separates from t-he base inl the same manner as in the'xno-dication of Figs'jl, 2, '3 and 4. TThecirc'uitthrough the'plug is from thecenter contact 68, through `the -retaining member 22, contacts 12 and 17 through the circuit of the translating device tol the contacts 17, through the contacts -12 and retaining member 22 to thethreaded shell contact 62.

vWhile I have shown and described my invention-in connection with the separable attachment plug it is obvious that in some of its .aspects the invention is not limited to attachment plugs.

Certain subject-matter shown herein is claimed in my copending application, Serial No, 350,369, filed January 9, 1920.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Lety ters Patent ist.-

1. Ina device of the character described, an insulatingbase having a recess therein provided with an abutment, and an opening `leadingfmm s aid recess adjacent said abutment, ja 'flat metal retaining member extending through said opening and having a shoulder engaging said abutment., and a pair of spring contacts within said recess secured to opposite sides of said retaining member out of engagement with said abutment'. i

2.' In a 4device of the character described,

' an insulating base having an elongated recessftherein, a pair of contact blades extending longitudinally of said recess, the Walls of. said recess extending beyond said blades, the ends of said blades having guide portions narrower than said blades extendingfawayfrom each other, said base having additional recesses narrower than said blades toafl'ord 4clearance for the projecting 3. An-attachmcrtplug receptacle having 'l *an linsulating body 'pierced to "afford a contact chamber, a receptacle-terminal insai'd chamber andA a tongue. andA groove.*engage--v ment between said terminall and.avvallgofI said chamber, sa'id tongue-being arranged to prevent the entry of the jack of'a-cop'erj ating plug into'engagement with' one side" of saidterminal for the purposedescr'ibed.

4. An'attachmentplug receptacle havingan insulating body'piercedto ai'fordfaconl tact chamber, a receptacl-ekterminal said chamber and a tongue and4 groove engager., ment between the freel 'endof saidterrninal.

and the Wall of said chamber, vsaid tongue being arranged to prevent the entry of the jack of a coperating plug into engagement with one side of lsaid terminal.

5. An attachment plug receptacle having an insulating body pierced to afford a con# ment between said terminal and the walll of said chamber, said tongue being arranged to g prevent the entry of the jack of a co erating plug into engagement with one slde of Sald terminal, the engaging parts being of less Width than the width of the terminal.

6. An attachment plug receptacle having an insulating body pierced to afford acontact chamber, a groove opening to said chamber and a terminal located in said chamber and having a portionl extending into said channel to deiiect the jack of a cooperating plug into engagement with one face of said terminal.

7. An attachment plug receptacle having an insulating body pierced to afford a contact chamber, a groove opening to said chamber, and a terminal located in said chamber and having at its free end a portion extending into said groove to deiect the jack of a coperating plug into engagement with one face of said terminal.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

REUBEN B. BENJAMIN. 

